With the new Dominica State College (DSC) opening its doors to the new academic school year in about two weeks, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Roosevelt Skerrit has announced that his government has created a new system of financial aid at the institution to assist students.
Speaking on Kairi’s Heng program Skerrit said the new system will be jointly managed by the college and the ministry of education.
“We will be creating a system at the Dominica State College of financial aid where we will be giving the college a certain amount of money every year and that will be managed by the college and the ministry of education jointly,” he said.
He went on to say that students will apply for this financial aid, similar to the way it is done in the United States.
“It will be a special programme called Special Aid and the president of the college will present the minister with how he is going to manage it, with the forms that will be filled, the applications and so forth and once the minister approves it, I am prepared, as the minister of finance, to make the money available,” the prime minister said.
Skerrit noted further that in the interim government will still support the payment of tuition fees on behalf of the students.
“We’ve always said to students that if you need government assistance, you have to apply for it through the ministry of education and not go to the college and say the Government will pay, because what happens is that the college knows the government is paying but the ministry of education doesn’t know,” he said.
The Finance Minister pointed out that often the list of students the college has in its possession, differs from that of the ministry of education and the college always has a higher amount owed to it.
This is due to the fact that the college has more students on its list, some of whom the ministry of education does not know about, the prime minister said.
Skerrit advised students to go through their parliamentary representatives or go through the ministry of education if and when they need assistance.
He pointed out that students should apply for assistance properly so that the ministry of education can inform the college of the students whom they will be paying for.
Applications should be administered through the Ministry of Education period.This will eliminate any confusion of numbers on role.
Why all this complication?
The bigger question is why is it that such an important program announcement was not addressed during the national budget presentation.
well appreciated, I hope my application will go in
Why is Skerro that have to make the announcement that clearly falls under the Ministry of Education portfolio? Do we have a Minister of Education in Dca or a Minister of all Ministries? But Skerro must be reminded that “Change Must Come” and it is already hovering above the horizon.
Assertive NOT Agressive!
Red Clinic Meltdownnnnnnnnn!
I hope that this means that no longer will College officials take words of mouth such as “the Prime Minister say” or “Hon so and so say” and then send the bill to government only to accuse them later of not meeting their promises to pay.
Ask the bursar at the DSC what is really going on.
A set of elections talk from now on.
Of course the usual victims will fall for it same way.
” Go to your Parliamentary representative – yes I jah.
Let us see – the government cannot even support the common entrance scholarship program but they making election campaign gestures for financial aid to college students.
” “We will be creating a system at the Dominica State College of financial aid where we will be giving the college a certain …..” Papa Bondieur – the brother supposedly has a degree in English. Sound like Dominica State College of financial aid .
I am sure the non college Degree Lennox Linton would say ” “We will be creating a system of financial Aid at the Dominica State College where we will be…..”
I wonder whether another website would write an article on “pass or Fail.
I think that students will welcome the opportunity for financial assistance to further their education. We will however await the details of the program when it is actually implemented.
Question. Why is it that such an important program announcement was not issued through a press release, at a press conference or via a GIS information bulletin?
That is just an election move why now, the college was there all the while went to ministry for assistance and fall on deaf ears so now election is around the corner you saying that and next morning the door close.
about time we do something good for the feature nice work there respect.